Early voting began April 24 and ends May 2, with election day taking place May 6. Visit here to see the early voting locations and schedules for KISD and Katy City Council elections.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 75 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Mary Ellen Cuzela
Experience:
KISD parent volunteer; participant in state legislative listening circles; former software and technology consultant; youth religious teacher; small business owner
Occupation:
substitute teacher
Candidate Website:
http://www.cuzela4katyisd.com
In light of the national teacher shortage, what would be your strategy for recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in Katy ISD?
Teachers generally don’t enter the teaching profession for the pay. They become teachers because they love to teach. So, I would first focus on their job satisfaction by addressing their discipline concerns, adhering to classroom size limits and decreasing their administrative workload. I want to pay Katy ISD teachers and frontline staff a salary comparable to surrounding districts, if not a bit more. Hiring back retired teachers and offering part-time options are other ideas.
Shana Peterson
Experience:
31 years as educator; academic language therapist; held leadership roles; developed special education guidelines, trainings; served on campus advisory boards
Occupation:
retired educator
Candidate Website:
http://www.shanapeterson4katyisd.com
Contact Information:
832-377-7008
In light of the national teacher shortage, what would be your strategy for recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in Katy ISD?
The key is to make Katy ISD appealing for seasoned teachers and new recruits. Having competitive compensation packages needs to be a priority. When recruiting teachers, we need to start the hiring process early, attend university job fairs to secure incoming graduates and work collaboratively with universities to develop cohorts for education. Resources, workshops and support should be easily accessible. We need to empower teachers so they can do what they do best—teach.
